Apparatus for preparing stencils



July 13, 1937. E. J. BRASSEUR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING STENCILS FiledNOV. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gm I 6 P "gs y 3, 1937. E. J. BRASSEUR87,082

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING STENCILS Filed Nov. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2hil y/114' 5 I japan/250 Q ,ZJJ aasem 8 m? @M @9159 Patented July 13,1937 Ernest J. Brasseur, Winnetka, Ill.,

assignor to A. B. Dick Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication November 20, 1935, Serial N01 50,627

5 Claims. (Cl. 45-131) My invention relates to an improved apparatus formaking drawings, tracings; or copies of drawings or forms, or othermatter to be copied,

. particularly adapted for making such tracings or 5 copies directly ona stencil sheet which may thereafter be used for the multiplereproduction of the same in a duplicating machine.

My improved apparatus is particularly intended for use in the 'wellknown process in which a sheet of paper carrying the drawings or othermatter to be copied is placed upon a translucent plate and a stencilsheet of such character that direct light emanating from the oppositeside of the plate may penetrate the same is laid upon the drawing. Anelectric lamp'or' other suitable source of light is placed beneath theplate and the light coming through the plate, drawing and stencil makesthe matter to be copied appear distinctly through the stencil. Thedrawing to be copied is then traced on the stencil with a stylus orother suitable instrument.

My invention comprises improved apparatus for practicing the processdescribed above and similar processes, and the principal object of theinventionconsists in the improved construction of such devices.

In my preferred construction I employ an integral frame or bed which maybe rested upon a desk, table or any convenient support and on 30 whichthe glass or other translucent plate is carried. The frame may beadjusted in inclined position, either wholly on the horizontal surfaceof the support, or across an edge thereof, and the adjustable supportingmeans may be removed to 5 permit the frame to be laid flat, if desired.Suitable clamping means for the stencil and for the work to be copied isprovided, including a button strap for the stencil sheet which isrigidly secured to the frame at the top end thereof.

40 The stencil sheets now generally employed in the duplication of drawnand written matter are attached to hard paper backing sheets by asuitable adhesive applied along the upper edge of the stencil sheet. Thebacking sheet projects 45 beyond the. upper edge of the stencil sheet toform a stub, which is provided with buttonholes for attaching thestencil to the duplicating machine in the well known manner. Thesestencil sheets are made in several standard sizes, of different 50lengths but of the same width, and the standard sizes also difier in thelength of the stub portion. Accordingly, the longitudinal distance fromthe buttonholes to the first stencilizable line on the stencil sheet isdifierent in each of the standard 65 sizes. In the preparation ofstencils generally,

and particularly those stencils having matter both typed and drawn, theinitial line or uppermost stencilizable line is of major importance,usually determining the entire layout of the stencil. Prior devices forthe preparation of 5 stencils by this method have been foundunsatisfactory in that only one standard size of stencil sheet could beaccommodated on a given device. In some instances this difliculty hasnecessitated the provision of three or more separate devices. 10

It is a feature of the present construction that any of the ordinarystandard sizes of stencil paper. may be interchangeably positionedthereon, and it is another object of my invention to provide apparatusof the character designated in 15 which the plate may be quickly andeasily adjusted in the frame to accommodate standard stencil sheets ofdifferent sizes, particularly with reference to the upper limit line ofthe stencil sheet. 0

The laying out of a stencil which is to contain 2 both typed matter anddrawn matter is almost invariably measured from some reference line,which is ordinarily and most conveniently the initial or uppermoststencilizable line on the stencil sheet. As previously pointed out, theposition of this line is different for each of the various sizes ofstencil sheets, and it is another object of the invention to provide adevice having slidable scales which may be readily adjusted to read fromthe initial line of the particular size of stencil sheet to be used.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings which form a part ofthis specification and in which;

Fig. l is a plan view of the upper side of an apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a plan View of the lower side of the device shown in Fig. 1,the supporting legs being removed; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device showing the manner in which itis supported in inclined working position across the edge of a table ordesk;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the device in workingposition on the top of a table;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on theline 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig.1;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detailed sections taken re J spectively on thelines '|1, 8-8 and 3-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a detail section through the leg adjusting clamp, and

Fig. 11 is a detail section showing the structure and operation of thesheet retaining clamps, taken substantially on the line I of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, at I is indicated generally an integralframe, preferably molded from suitable composition such as the wellknown bakelite, having side members l2 and I3, an upper member l4 and alower member l5, which define a rectangular opening l6. The framemembers are in general of channel section, having downwardly disposedflanges as indicated in the drawings, and are suitably webbed asindicated at IT to provide strength with lightness. The outer side facesI8 of the members l2 and I4 are formed as true planes, arranged at rightangles, for co-action with a T-square or with other dnawing instrumentswhich may be used in connectio with the device. The members I4 and I5 my also be formed, as shown, with grooves IS, in which styli or otherdrawing instruments may be laid.

A translucent plate 2| of ground glass or other suitable material iscarried by the frame I 0, being disposed in and extending across theopening i6 thereof to form the working surface on which preparation of astencil or other desired drafting operation is carried out. The plate 2|is removably secured, as by the corner clips 22, to

carrier members or rails 23 slidably mounted in grooves 24 formed in theframe members i2 and |3. Shims or washers 25 of any convenient materialmay be interposed between the rails 23 and the bottoms of the grooves 24to adjust the level of the glass to proper relation with respect to theworking plane. Adjacent their ends the rails 23 are provided withdownwardly projecting posts 26 which extend through slots 21 formed inlugs 28 integral with the side members. Thumb nuts 29 threaded to theposts 26, cooperate with the lugs 28 to clamp the rails 23 in adjustedposition longitudinally of the frame.

The end members I4 and I5 of frame ID are formed with integral webs 3|which extend laterally between the side frame members l2 and |3 andbelow the level of plate 2 I, to define the upper and lower limits ofthe opening Hi. The web 3| formed on the lower member I!) issufliciently wide to underlap the plate 2| in all positions to which theplate may be adjusted, so that direct light from the source ofillumination beneath the plate will not shine into the eyes of theoperator. Abutton strap is secured to the upper web 3|, having attachingdevices such as buttons or studs 33, adapted to cooperate with the usualholes 34 in the stub of the stencil sheet 35 whereby said sheet isattached to the device. The side frame members are also provided withremovable spring clips 36 of metal or other suitable material by whichthe side edges of the stencil sheet, tracing, or other work may beclamped to the plate in working position. In the preferred embodiment asbest illustrated in Fig. 11, the clips 36 are formed with tail pieces 31and pins 38 which enter respectively into square holes 39 and adjacentdowel holes 4|, formed in the side frame members, snapping into positionin such a manner as to resiliently press the clip portion against thework. As such clips are well known in the art and form no part of myinvention further detailed description thereof is unnecessary. Thus inworking position, as shown in Fig. 1, the stencil sheet 35 and itsassociated stub are To facilitate use' of the device in the preparationof work such as the laying out of a stencil which is to include bothdrawn and typed matter, the side frame members are provided with scales42 and 43 preferably in different units, which are slidably adjustablelongitudinally of the work. As illustrated, the scales are formed onmetal strips or bars 44 seated in grooves 45 in the members I2 and I3,and slidably secured therein by stud members 46 adjacent the endsthereof. These stud members project through slots 41 in the bottom ofthe grooves 45 adjacent the ends thereof, and the stud member 46 at oneend of each scale may be in the form of a screw 48 cooperating with anut 49 to clamp the bar 44 in adjusted position. The scale 42 may beconveniently arranged to correspond to conventional typewriter linespacing and the scale 43 may be in inches and fractions thereof, but itis to be understood that I do not limit my invention to the use of theseparticular scales.

To further facilitate setting of the scales 42, and 43 and to providefor ready adjustment of the plate 2| so that its upper edge may bequickly set to correspond to the first line of the particular size ofstencil sheet being prepared, I provide fixed scales or index marks 50on the face of the frame members l2 and I3, which may be convenientlymarked with a designation of the size of stencil sheet to which theycorrespond and similar marks may be provided to indicate the lowerlimits for the various stencil sizes.

In normal use the device is supported in inclined position, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, by means of removable legs 5| and struts52, associated with each of the side frame members l2 and |3. Each ofthe legs 5| is provided at its upper end with an in-turned portion 53,adapted to seat in a hole 54 formed in 2. lug 55 on the under side ofthe frame, as best shown in Fig. 8. The lower end of the leg 5| isprovided with a cushion member 56, of rubber or other suitable materialadapted to rest on the table on which the device is mounted, and thelower ends of the legs may be connected by a cross brace if desired. Astrut 52 co-operates with each of the legs 5|, and is provided at itsupper end with a pin 51 adapted to seat in a hole 58 formed in a lug 59on the under side of the frame member, as shown in Fig. 9. A leaf spring6| is secured to the strut 52 and engages the side of a lug 53 disposedopposite to the lug 59. Pressure of the spring 6| urges the pin 51 intoits hole 58 to retain the strut 52 in connected position. By pressingthe spring and strut together the pin may be withdrawn from its hole toremove the strut from the frame.

The lower end of the strut 52 is provided with a bracket 65 throughwhich the leg 5| passes and which may be clamped to the leg as by meansof the thumb screw 66. In this way the relation of the strut 52 to itscorresponding leg 5| may be varied to adjust the inclination of thedevice in accordance with the convenience of the user.

Means is also provided by which the device may be rested across the edgeof a table or other support in a position to facilitate work on theupper portion of the stencil. Such means includes a pair of legs 68secured to the side members of frame l6 intermediate the lugs 55 and thelower edge of the device. The upper end of each leg 68 is provided withan out-turned portion 69 extending through a pair of aligned holes 18 inspaced lugs H and 12 on the under sides of the frame members I2 and I3,as best shown in Fig. 7. Between the lugs II and 12 a collar 13 isattached to the leg portion 69 in any convenient way, as by a pin 14,and a spring 15 surrounds the portion 69 between the collar 13 and awasher I6. This washer engages the face of the lug 12, providing afriction device to prevent free swinging of the leg 68. The framemembers l2 and [3 are also provided with lugs H which engage and supportthe legs 68 when in use. The table engaging portions of the legs 68 maybe covered with cushioning friction material 18 of any suitablematerial, such as rubber.

The frame I is also provided on its lower face adjacent the corners, andalso preferably adjacent the legs 68, with lugs 19 adapted to carrycushioning feet 8| of rubber or other suitable material, on which thedevice may be supported in flat position upon the removal of the legsand the struts 52. In this position the legs 68 are folded back againstthe frame It! as shown in full lines in Fig. 5.

For use in the making of tracings a suitable source of light may beplaced beneath the frame ill in the well known manner. In the preferredform, as shown in Fig. 3, this comprises an ordinary electric lamp 85mounted in a frame 86 and operativeiy connected to a suitable source ofelectric current, not shown. The frame 86 is partially polygonal insection and is provided on its interior with'refiecting faces 81. Thebacks of the faces 81 are flat supporting surfaces 88, so that byturning the frame to rest on different surfaces the intensity of theillumination may be varied in any desired portion of the field, as theuser may desire.

It will be evident that my improved apparatus provides a strong andrigid device which may be quickly and easily adjusted for rapid andefflcient preparation of stencils from stencil sheets of any of thevariousstandard sizes. By adjusting the upper edge of the supportingplate to the initial line of the particular standard sheet to be used,as determined by the indicla 58, and by setting the zero marks of scales42 and 43 to the same mark, the operator may rapidly lay out drawingsand tracings on a stencil which is to be later typed, without errors inspacing or waste of stencil surface.

It will also be apparent that the operator may easily adjust theinclination of the device and its position'with respect to thesupporting table to suit his convenience and the particular part of thestencil on which he is working. By simply removing the legs and struts,the apparatus may be laid flat, either for carrying or for work in thisposition, in which case it is used as a drafting board. The retractiblelegs 18 are quickly folded out of the way when the device is used inthis manner.

While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of myinvention, which I deem to be new and advantageous and may specificallyclaim, I do not desire it to be understood that my invention is limitedto the exact details of the construction, as it will be apparent thatchanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scopeof my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for preparing stencils having a rectangular framedefining an opening, carrier members slidably mounted on said frame, atranslucent plate secured to said carrier members [and extending acrosssaid opening to support the stencil, and means to adjustably clamp saidcarrier members to the frame whereby the plate may be positioned forstencil sheets of different dimensions.

2. In an apparatus for preparing stencils, an integral frame defining anopening, a translucent stencil support adjustably mounted on said framedisposed across said opening, and web members integral with the frameand extending laterally of said opening at the top and bottom thereofadapted to underlap the stencil support in all adjusted positionsthereof.

3. In an apparatus for preparing stencils, an integral frame defining arectangular opening and including side members having slots, carriermembers slidably mounted on said side members, posts on said carriermembers projecting through said slots, a stencil support secured to thecarrier members and extending across the opening, and clamping meansassociated with said posts to adjustably secure the stencil support tothe frame.

4. In an apparatus for preparing stencils, a frame defining arectangular opening, a stencil support extendingacross said opening,carrier members for said stencil support slidably adjustable on theframe, means to adjust the level of the stencil support with respect tothe carrier members, and means for clamping the carrier.

members to the frame adapted to position said level adjusting means.

5. In an apparatus for preparing stencils, a frame defining an opening,a translucent stencil support disposed across said opening andadjustably movable on said frame to accommodate sten-

